This makes Portugal the country with the highest number of flight disruptions among the states with the highest air traffic, according to Executive Digest.
The information was released in a report by AirHelp, an international company specialising in air passenger compensation. The analysis concludes that of 277,000 flights in Portugal, 81,000 were disrupted. In total, 11.6 million passengers were affected, i.e. 36% of travellers who used transport services available at Portuguese airports.
As a result, more than 434,000 passengers are entitled to claim financial compensation under European Union rules on flight delays. Portugal is now the country with the lowest airport punctuality, having overtaken Greece.
Major disruption
Among the most popular routes, Lisbon-Madrid had the highest rate of delays and cancellations in Portugal, at 40%. Paris followed with 715,000 passengers, 39% of whom experienced disruptions. Lisbon-Barcelona was the third most popular route in Portugal, with 591,000 passengers, 41% of whom did not depart on schedule.
According to Executive Digest, the data show that even the most frequent air connections exhibit high levels of non-compliance.
Faro is the most punctual
Lisbon was the airport with the most departures, with 16 million passengers, 44% of whom experienced some disruption. At Porto Airport, 28% of the seven million passengers were affected by flight disruptions.
Despite the negative outlook, Faro stands out as the most punctual airport in Portugal, with 79% of flights taking off on time.
